MEMB. VI.
Against Envy, Livor, Emulation, Hatred, Ambition, Self-love, and all other Affections.
Against those other [3932]passions and affections, there is no better
remedy than as mariners when they go to sea, provide all things necessary
to resist a tempest: to furnish ourselves with philosophical and Divine
precepts, other men's examples, [3933]Periculum ex aliis facere, sibi
quod ex usu siet: To balance our hearts with love, charity, meekness,
patience, and counterpoise those irregular motions of envy, livor, spleen,
hatred, with their opposite virtues, as we bend a crooked staff another
way, to oppose [3934]sufferance to labour, patience to reproach, bounty
to covetousness, fortitude to pusillanimity, meekness to anger, humility to
pride, to examine ourselves for what cause we are so much disquieted, on
what ground, what occasion, is it just or feigned? And then either to
pacify ourselves by reason, to divert by some other object, contrary
passion, or premeditation. [3935]Meditari secum oportet quo pacto
adversam aerumnam ferat, Paricla, damna, exilia peregre rediens semper
cogitet, aut filii peccatum, aut uxoris mortem, aut morbum filiae, communia
esse haec: fieri posse, ut ne quid animo sit novum. To make them familiar,
even all kind of calamities, that when they happen they may be less
troublesome unto us. In secundis meditare, quo pacto feras adversa: or
out of mature judgment to avoid the effect, or disannul the cause, as they
do that are troubled with toothache, pull them quite out.
[3936]Ut vivat castor, sibi testes amputat ipse;
Tu quoque siqua nocent, abjice, tutus eris.
The beaver bites off's stones to save the rest:
Do thou the like with that thou art opprest.
Or as they that play at wasters, exercise themselves by a few cudgels how
to avoid an enemy's blows: let us arm ourselves against all such violent
incursions, which may invade our minds. A little experience and practice
will inure us to it; vetula vulpes, as the proverb saith, laqueo haud
capitur, an old fox is not so easily taken in a snare; an old soldier in
the world methinks should not be disquieted, but ready to receive all
fortunes, encounters, and with that resolute captain, come what may come,
to make answer,
O virgo nova mi facies inopinaque surgit,
Omnia percepi atque animo mecum ante peregi.
No labour comes at unawares to me,
For I have long before cast what may be.
[3938]———non hoc primum mea pectora vulnus
Senserunt, graviora tuli———
The commonwealth of [3939]Venice in their armoury have this inscription,
Happy is that city which in time of peace thinks of war, a fit motto for
every man's private house; happy is the man that provides for a future
assault. But many times we complain, repine and mutter without a cause, we
give way to passions we may resist, and will not. Socrates was bad by
nature, envious, as he confessed to Zophius the physiognomer, accusing him
of it, froward and lascivious: but as he was Socrates, he did correct and
amend himself. Thou art malicious, envious, covetous, impatient, no doubt,
and lascivious, yet as thou art a Christian, correct and moderate thyself.
'Tis something, I confess, and able to move any man, to see himself
contemned, obscure, neglected, disgraced, undervalued, [3940]left
behind; some cannot endure it, no not constant Lipsius, a man discreet
otherwise, yet too weak and passionate in this, as his words express,
[3941]collegas olim, quos ego sine fremitu non intueor, nuper terrae
filios, nunc Maecenates et Agrippas habeo,—summo jam monte potitos. But he
was much to blame for it: to a wise staid man this is nothing, we cannot
all be honoured and rich, all Caesars; if we will be content, our present
state is good, and in some men's opinion to be preferred. Let them go on,
get wealth, offices, titles, honours, preferments, and what they will
themselves, by chance, fraud, imposture, simony, and indirect means, as too
many do, by bribery, flattery, and parasitical insinuation, by impudence
and time-serving, let them climb up to advancement in despite of virtue,
let them go before, cross me on every side, me non offendunt modo non
in, oculos incurrant, [3942]as he said, correcting his former error, they
do not offend me, so long as they run not into mine eyes. I am inglorious
and poor, composita paupertate, but I live secure and quiet: they are
dignified, have great means, pomp, and state, they are glorious; but what
have they with it? [3943]Envy, trouble, anxiety, as much labour to
maintain their place with credit, as to get it at first. I am contented
with my fortunes, spectator e longinquo, and love Neptunum procul a
terra spectare furentem: he is ambitious, and not satisfied with his: but
what [3944]gets he by it? to have all his life laid open, his reproaches
seen: not one of a thousand but he hath done more worthy of dispraise and
animadversion than commendation; no better means to help this than to be
private. Let them run, ride, strive as so many fishes for a crumb, scrape,
climb, catch, snatch, cozen, collogue, temporise and fleer, take all
amongst them, wealth, honour, [3945]and get what they can, it offends me
not:
Lare secreto tutoque tegat,
I am well pleased with my fortunes, [3947]Vivo et regno simul ista
relinquens.
I have learned in what state soever I am, therewith to be contented,
Philip, iv 11. Come what can come, I am prepared. Nave ferar magna an
parva, ferar unus et idem. I am the same. I was once so mad to bustle
abroad, and seek about for preferment, tire myself, and trouble all my
friends, sed nihil labor tantus profecit nam dum alios amicorum mors
avocat, aliis ignotus sum, his invisus, alii large promittunt, intercedunt
illi mecum soliciti, hi vana spe lactant; dum alios ambio, hos capto, illis
innotesco, aetas perit, anni defluunt, amici fatigantur, ego deferor, et
jam, mundi taesus, humanaeque satur infidelitatis acquiesco. [3948]And so I
say still; although I may not deny, but that I have had some [3949]
bountiful patrons, and noble benefactors, ne sim interim ingratus, and I
do thankfully acknowledge it, I have received some kindness, quod Deus
illis beneficium rependat, si non pro votis, fortasse pro meritis, more
peradventure than I deserve, though not to my desire, more of them than I
did expect, yet not of others to my desert; neither am I ambitious or
covetous, for this while, or a Suffenus to myself; what I have said,
without prejudice or alteration shall stand. And now as a mired horse that
struggles at first with all his might and main to get out, but when he sees
no remedy, that his beating will not serve, lies still, I have laboured in
vain, rest satisfied, and if I may usurp that of [3950]Prudentius,
Inveni portum; spes et fortuna valete,
Nil mihi vobiscum, ludite nunc alios.
Mine haven's found, fortune and hope adieu,
Mock others now, for I have done with you.
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